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McClellan-Palomar Airport

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Key facts: McClellan-Palomar Airport (IATA: CLD, FAA LID: CRQ) is a county-owned public airport located in Carlsbad, California, operated by the County of San Diego and used for general aviation, charter, air taxi, and limited scheduled commercial airline service.[1][2]

McClellan-Palomar Airport sits within the City of Carlsbad but is owned and operated by the County of San Diego, which handles day-to-day airport operations while the city retains land-use authority over the site and surrounding area.[2] The single-runway facility opened in 1959, replacing the former Del Mar Municipal Airport, and was later annexed into the City of Carlsbad and renamed for local aviator and civic leader Gerald McClellan.[1][3]

The airport has long supported general aviation alongside intermittent scheduled airline service, and it has become the subject of recurring disputes between the city, the county, and resident groups over noise, safety classification, and the scope of permitted commercial operations, including a 1980 voter-approved rule requiring public approval of any legislative expansion of the airport.[2][1]

Overview

Air traffic control tower at McClellan-Palomar Airport
Air traffic control tower at McClellan-Palomar Airport. Photo: Pink Floyd Fan 101, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.

McClellan-Palomar Airport carries the IATA code CLD and the FAA/ICAO identifiers CRQ and KCRQ; unlike most U.S. airports, its FAA and IATA codes differ.[1] It is located about 3 miles southeast of downtown Carlsbad, according to Wikipedia, while the City of Carlsbad's general plan description places it roughly 7 miles southeast of downtown.[1][3] The airport covers about 466 acres and has a single asphalt runway, designated 6/24, that is 4,897 feet long and 150 feet wide, along with one asphalt helipad.[1] As of March 2013, it was reported to be the fourth-busiest single-runway airport in the United States.[1] In the year ending December 31, 2021, the airport recorded 140,451 aircraft operations, an average of 385 per day, with 93% general aviation, 6% air taxi, less than 1% scheduled commercial, and less than 1% military; 284 aircraft were then based there.[1] The site is listed among San Diego County's airports in regional geography references.[4]

History

The airport opened in 1959 after County of San Diego officials decided to replace Del Mar Municipal Airport.[3][1] From 1962 to 1975, part of the airport property was used as a landfill.[1] The facility was annexed into the City of Carlsbad in 1978 and renamed McClellan–Palomar Airport in 1982, honoring Gerald McClellan, described as an aviator and civic leader in San Diego's North County area.[3][1] This Gerald McClellan is distinct from the professional boxer of the same name who competed from 1988 to 1995.[5] Over the following decades, Carlsbad's city boundaries expanded to include the area surrounding the airport.[1] A new 18,000-square-foot passenger terminal opened on January 29, 2009, following a 13-month renovation project costing about $24 million, funded by the Federal Aviation Administration and airport enterprise funds; the project also added parking and an expanded aircraft ramp.[1]

Operations and service

Airline service at the airport has fluctuated over decades. Earlier operators included American Eagle (operated by Wings West Airlines) and United Express (operated by WestAir Airlines) to Los Angeles, America West Express (later US Airways Express) to Phoenix, and Scenic Airlines flights to Palm Springs beginning in 1977.[1] Golden West Airlines served the airport in the 1970s, and Imperial Airlines and Air Resorts operated in the 1980s.[1] United Express, by then operated by SkyWest Airlines, ended service in May 2015 after the retirement of its Embraer EMB-120 Brasilia aircraft.[1] Subsequent attempts to restore commercial service included a brief 2015 BizAir Shuttle operation to Los Angeles and Las Vegas, Cal Jet service to Las Vegas from 2017 to April 2018, and California Pacific Airlines flights to San Jose, Reno, Las Vegas, and Phoenix beginning in November 2018 before that airline ceased operations in January 2019.[1] The semi-private carrier JSX moved flights from San Diego to Carlsbad in 2023, offering service to Las Vegas and Taos, New Mexico.[1] Commercial service expanded again in 2025, when American Airlines, operated by Envoy Air as American Eagle, began flights to Phoenix.[1] United Airlines, operated by SkyWest Airlines as United Express, is reported to have resumed service in March 2026, with twice-daily flights to Denver and San Francisco using Embraer E175 regional jets beginning March 30, 2026, making United the second major carrier with scheduled service at the airport after American.[1][6] United had last served the airport in 2015 with flights to Los Angeles.[6] The resumption of airline service has drawn opposition from groups including the Palomar Airport Action Network and Citizens for a Friendly Airport, which have raised concerns about airport use and noise, and the City of Carlsbad has maintained that Palomar is a general aviation airport and that commercial flights represent an expansion.[1]

City and county roles

The Federal Aviation Administration regulates flight operations after takeoff and before landing, including air traffic control, safety standards, and noise abatement.[2] The County of San Diego operates the airport and develops its master plan, a blueprint for improvements over a 20-year period.[2] The City of Carlsbad controls land uses on and around the airport, subject to state and federal regulation, and has issued a conditional use permit known as CUP 172 governing development and use of the site.[2] A Palomar Airport Advisory Committee provides input on planning and operations to the County Board of Supervisors and the County Chief Administrative Officer; it has nine members appointed by the Board of Supervisors, with the City of Carlsbad nominating two residents and the District 3 Supervisor nominating two additional residents, while the Supervisor nominates further members as well. Currently five Carlsbad residents serve on the committee, including one who serves as vice chair.[2] In early 2024, the Carlsbad City Council directed staff to request a community roundtable with the FAA, through the county, to address differences between county-recommended flight procedures and FAA practices, including designated flight paths; the county has approached Senator Butler, Senator Padilla, and Congressman Levin for assistance.[2] More general city government and City Council functions oversee this land-use role, and transportation planning around the airport fits within broader transportation in Carlsbad policy.[7]

Expansion and the public vote rule

In 1980, the Carlsbad City Council adopted a citizen initiative requiring a public vote before the City Council may approve a zone change, General Plan amendment, or other legislative action allowing expansion of the airport.[2] The airport is currently classified under FAA design standards as an ARC B-II airport, designated for smaller aircraft with lower approach speeds and shorter wingspans or tail heights.[2] When the County Board of Supervisors approved an updated master plan in 2018, it called for changing the airport's design classification from B-II to the larger D-III, intended to accommodate bigger aircraft.[2] A group called Citizens for a Friendly Airport sued the county, arguing it had not adequately studied and mitigated the environmental effects of projects in the master plan; a judge found the county needed to complete additional noise studies and also ruled that because the changes would allow larger aircraft to take off with more fuel, the county needed to seek an update to its conditional use permit from the City of Carlsbad.[2] The county later completed additional noise studies, and the Board of Supervisors approved a revised Environmental Impact Report for the master plan in December 2021, but has not submitted an application to the city to amend the conditional use permit.[2] In 2019, the Carlsbad City Council adopted resolutions expressing opposition to the D-III Modified Standards Compliance Alternative, which would have allowed a runway extension of up to 800 feet, and instead supported a B-II Enhanced Alternative design classification with no runway extension.[2] In March 2026 reporting, Citizens for a Friendly Airport again sued the County of San Diego, this time over its approval of a lease agreement allowing American Airlines to operate daily commercial flights, arguing the county violated a 2021 court order requiring consultation with Carlsbad officials before authorizing commercial air service; a judge denied the group's request for a preliminary injunction, and the lawsuit remains ongoing.[6]

Common questions

Who operates McClellan-Palomar Airport?

The airport is owned and operated by the County of San Diego, even though it is physically located within the City of Carlsbad.[2][1]

When did the airport open and who is it named after?

The airport opened in 1959 to replace Del Mar Municipal Airport, and it was renamed McClellan–Palomar Airport in 1982 after Gerald McClellan, described as a local aviator and civic leader, following its 1978 annexation into Carlsbad.[1][3]

What is the 1980 vote requirement about airport expansion?

In 1980 Carlsbad voters' citizen initiative, adopted by the City Council, requires a public vote before the council can approve a zone change, General Plan amendment, or other legislative action allowing the airport to expand.[2]

Which airlines currently serve the airport?

American Airlines (operated by Envoy Air as American Eagle) began flights to Phoenix in 2025, JSX offers limited service to destinations including Las Vegas and Taos, New Mexico, and United Airlines (operated by SkyWest Airlines as United Express) is reported to resume service to Denver and San Francisco in March 2026.[1][6]

Has the airport's expansion been legally contested?

Yes. Citizens for a Friendly Airport sued the county over the 2018 master plan's proposed D-III classification, and a judge required additional noise studies and a conditional use permit update; the group filed another lawsuit in 2026 over an American Airlines lease, and a judge denied its request to block flights pending the outcome.[2][6]

References

All sources retrieved November 2026.

  1. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y z "McClellan–Palomar Airport (Wikipedia)". Wikipedia. Retrieved November 2026.
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s "cc_airport". City of Carlsbad. Retrieved November 2026.
  3. ^ a b c d e f g "Carlsbad, California (Wikipedia)". Wikipedia. Retrieved November 2026.
  4. ^ "San Diego County, California (Wikipedia)". Wikipedia. Retrieved November 2026.
  5. ^ "Gerald McClellan (Wikipedia)". Wikipedia. Retrieved November 2026.
  6. ^ a b c d e "United Airlines returns to Carlsbad airport in 2026 | The Coast News Group". The Coast News. Retrieved November 2026.
  7. ^ "cc_gettingaround". City of Carlsbad. Retrieved November 2026.